Plow attachment.



No. 773,431. PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

P. & J. V. SMITH.

PLOW ATTACHMENT.

APPLIQATION FILED MAY 21, 1904.

No MODEL. zsHEBTs-BHEBT 1.

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No. 773,431. PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

F. cir, J. V. SMITH.

PLOW ATTACHMENT.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 21, 1904. No MODEL. fz SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATE-s Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT QEEICE. I

PLOW ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,431, dated october 25, 1904.

Application filed May 2l, 1904.

To all '/Uwm, it 71u03/ concern.-

Be it known that we, FLETCHER SMITH and J on VANE SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Mertens, in the county of Hill and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plow Attachments, of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to plow attachments; and the principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, light, yet comparatively strong article of this character by which a walking-plow can be readily and quickly transformed into a riding or sulky plow, or vice versa.

lVliile we do not limit the use of the attachment to any particular plows, it has been found particularly advantageous in conjunction with so-called double-burster plows.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification we have represented one simple and convenient adaptation of the attachment which will be hereinafter set forth in detail; but we do not restrict ourselves to the disclosure thus made, for certain variations may be adopted within the scope of our claims.

Referring' to said drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of an attachment including our invention associated with a socalled "double-burster plow. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the attachment and plow. Fig. 3 is a sectional rear elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional side, and Fig. 5 a sectional rear, elevation of certain coupling means on an enlarged scale. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views, also on an enlarged scale, of the three parts of the coupling means. Fig. 9 is a similar view, also on an enlarged scale, of a rack.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the different views.

The attachment constituting the subjectmatter of our invention' is i-n the nature of a carriage, which may be rigidly connected to a plow, and such carriage involves in its construction an axle which may be of any desirable character and which axle extends when the plow is in use as a riding-plow transversely of the beam of the latter. The axle illustrated is denoted in a general way by 10 and preferably, though not necessarily, is

Serial No. 209,006. (No model.)

made of a single piece of metal. Said axle is so constructed as to allow the wheels on the same to be moved toward each other until they are a distance apart equaling that between a row or set of beds to be plowed or rebedded, as is done with double-burster plows, or away from each other until they are separated, their distance apart equaling twice the width of any row to be plowed or set of beds to be rebedded for a purpose that will be hereinafter set forth. Thus it will be seen that by our attachment we have what might be considered a singlerow carriage and adouble-row carriage combined in a single attachment or machine., The axle 10 is represented as arched between its ends, the arched portion being denotedV by 11 and the plow-beam denoted in a general Way by l2, being' connected in practice directly to such arched portion. The wheels for the attachment or carriage are each denoted by 13, each wheel being adapted to be held in its adjusted position by means of collars, each denotedby 141, there being two collars in each case. These collars are held in their adjusted positions by means of set-screws adapted to engage the outer and horizontal portions of the axle, on which horizontalportions, it will be apparent, the wheels 13 can be slid toward and from each other to transform the attachment into a single-row carriage from the double-row one, and vice versa.

To the central arched portion 11 of the axle 10 we fasten in some suitable way-as, for example, by means of bolts-a frame, as 15. This frame is shown as being of yoke or of substantially inverted-V shape, the bolts, to which reference has been made, extending through the branches thereof and also through the branches or sides of the arch 11 of the axle, the frame 15 constituting a support for a segment hereinafter described.

To the axle 10, substantially centrally thereof, is detachably connected a coupling-bar, as 16. (See Fig. 7.) This coupling-bar 16 is represented as being of rectangular form in cross-section and in the present case is pivotally connected to the axle. For this purpose the lower end of the said coupling-bar 16 is forked to straddle the axle, apivot-pin, as 17, passing through the branches of the IOO fork and also through a perforation in the axle. The pivot-pin 17 is shown as a screw, its forward end being tapped into the forward branch of the fork at the lower end of the bar 16, while the head of the screw is countersunk into the rear branch of said fork. '.lherefore it will be apparent that the bar 16 can swing about an axis extending longitudinally of the beam 12.

In connection with the coupling-bar 16 we provide a coupling-box, the complemental portions of which are represented best in Figs. 6 and 8 and are denoted, respectively, by 18 and 19. These box-sections 18 and 19 are of substantially similar length, and the one on the right, looking toward the front of the plow, is provided with a longitudinal groove 20 to receive the coupling-bar 16. The two sections of the box are united in any suitable mannerwsay by bolts, screws, or the like-and each has a longitudinal slot, the slot in each case being denoted by 21. When the two sections of the box are connected together, they lit face to face, and the couplingbar 16 will at this time lie in the groove or channel 21, from which it will be apparent that the said coupling-box can move longitudinally relatively to the coupling-bar 16.

Each section of the coupling-box has below the slot therein a groove or channel 22 transverse to the slot 21 therein, which grooves register when the box-sections are united or fastened together to form a seat for the beam 12. (See, for example, Fig. It will therefore be apparent that by elevating or depressing the box the beam 12 will be correspondingly operated in order to raise or lower the point of the plow, whereby the penetration of the latter into the soil may be governed by the operator. To thus raise or lower the coupling-box, we represent a hand-lever 23, (see, for example, Fig. 1,) the inner end of the hand-lever being pivoted to the couplingbox hereinbefore described. The fulcrum for the lever is the lower end of the chain 24 or other suitable connection, which chain is suitably connected to the under side of the skeleton segment 25, hereinafter more fully described. The lower end of the chain, it will be seen, is connected with the hand-lever 23 between the pivot and handle end thereof. The said lever 23, as will hereinafter appear', is of extensible form. Then the attachment is connected to a plow and when the latter is being used as a riding-plow, the handle of the lever will be within convenient reach of an operator occupying' the seat 26, suitably clamped or otherwise fastened to the beam 12 above the plow-point. The said handle 23, it should be stated, is outwardly curved between its ends, so as to be in position to be reached by the right hand of the operator.

A rack-bar is shown at 27, (see, for example, Figs. 1, 3, and 9,) said rack-bar having teeth on its right side cooperative with a knife-edge 23, united to the hand-lever 23, adjacent said rack-bar. The under side of the rack-bar has a hook or bend to receive the beam 12, while the upper end of said bar is extended forward and is suit-ably fastened to the couplingbox hereinbeforc described. When it is desired to raise or lower the beam 12 and correspondingly operate the plow-point, the knife-edge 28 will be disengaged from the teeth of the rack-bar 27 and the handle end of the hand-lever 23 will be depressed or elevated, as the case may be, to secure the object desired, and when the beam and consequently the plow-point are in the desired adjusted position the knife-edge will be moved inward into engagement with the teeth of said rackbar. This elevation of the point of the plow is for the purpose of regulating the depth of the furrows.

The segment 25, to which reference has hereinbefore been made, is bolted or otherwise suitably fastened between its front and rear ends to the horizontal portion of the yokeshaped frame 15, which horizontal portion, it will be evident, is situated above the corresponding portion of the arch 11 of the axle.

Upon the upper side of the segment 25 a lever 30 is mounted, said lever being oscillatory about a vertical axis and being represented as pivoted at its forward end to the forward end of the skeleton segment 25. Near the curved edge of said segment is arranged a series of perforations 31 in arcuate order, the are being struck from the center of motion of the hand-lever 30. The hand-lever 30 is also extensible. When the plow is used as a riding' or sulky plow, the handle of said lever 30 will be within ready reach of an operator in the seat 26. The lever 30 has between its ends a longitudinal slot 32, through which the upper end of the rod 33 extends, the shank of the rod passing through a transverse slot 34 in the skeleton segment 25 and being extended downward and tapped or otherwise connected with one of the sectionsA the section 19-of the coupling box. When, therefore, the hand-lever 3() is swung either to the right or left, the rod 33 will be tipped either to the right or to the left in order to correspondingly tip the coupling-box, consisting of the sections 18 and 19, thereby similarly tipping the beam 12 and the plowpoint, just as is done by an operator in using the plow as a walking-plow. Normally the hand-lever 30 is maintained in an adjusted position by the pin 30u, depending' therefrom and adapted to enter any one of the perforations 31. The pivot 30", which unites the hand-lever 3() to the segment 25, is a loose one, whereby said lever can be readily raised to carry the pin 30 out of a perforation 31 in order to swing the lever in either direction to effect the results hereinbefore described.

On the outsides of the box-sections 13 and 1 19 and extending along the opposite sides of IOO ITO

the slots 21 therein are flanges 36, which flanges engage the square sides of the central arched portion 11 of the axle in order to prevent lateral motion of said axle or the fordotted lines in Figs l and 2. As the extensible construction is the same in each case,

we will describe but one of the levers in detail-say the lever 30. Said lever 30 is pro-` vided with an extensible portion 37, which fits between complemental lugs, as 38, on the body or shank of the lever 30. Then the extensible portion 37 is in its advanced position, in order to bring the handle thereon into reach of the rider occupying the seat 26 said extensible portion will be situated between both pairs of lugs 38, at which time the setscrew 39 on said extensible portion will fit into a forward perforation on the body of the hand-lever 30. Should it be desired to extend the hand-lever, the set-screw will be removed from said forward perforation into which it is threaded, after which 'the extensible portion will be drawn rearward until the set-screw coincides with a rear perforation in said body of the liand-lever 30, after which the set-screw will be fitted into said rear perforation in order to hold the extensible portion in its rearward adjusted position.

A caster, as 45, of some ordinary constructionand serving its usual purpose may be employed in connection with the attachment, said caster being connected in any desirable way with the beam l2.

By our plow attachment liereinbefore described we are enabled in an effective, simple, and novel way to run out old rows or beds and to make new beds, and therefore a brief description of the action of the attachment in this use will be set forth. It will be assumed that the old beds or rows upon a field are three feet apart. Initially, therefore, the wheels 13 are adjusted toward each other on the outer horizontal portions of vthe axle l0 until they are such distance apart, at which time they are held adjusted by the holdingcollars 14. One wheel is then placed in one depression and the other wheel is placed in the next depression of the field, with the bed between the wheels. The attachment, sulky, or carriage is then drawn across thefield in order to run the plow-point under the bed between such depressions. The attachment or sulky is then returned across the field in two other depressions next those first entered by the wheels to run the plow-point under the bed between said second two depressions. This operation is then continued throughout the field, and it will be apparent that each alternate bed is not plowed during the preliminary action, during which the attachment served as what might be properly considered a singlerow carriage. During such operation of the attachment the wheels 'occupied what are known as the old middles or the depressions between the beds. After the field is plowed in the manner indicated it will be apparent that the latter presents deep wide furrows made by the bu rster, said furrows being twice the distance apart as the rows or beds, and it will be obvious that there is a broad rough bed between each of these furrows. Now by moving the wheels outward upon the axle until they are separated six feet apart or twice the width of the rows we have a wide-gage carriage. When the wheels are thus adjusted, we place one wheel in one furrow and the other wheel in another furrow and run the attachment across the field and in doing so run the plow-point under those beds which were not originally burst. The second stage of the operation is then continued in like manner throughout the field.

What we claim is- 1. In a plow attachment, an axle, a coupling device adapted for connection with the plowbeam and slotted for the passage of said axle, the latter having wheels at opposite sides of the coupling device. means for raising and lower` ing vsaid coupling device, and independent means for vswinging the coupling device sidewise and to cause a rocking movement of the plow-beam about its longitudinal axis and independently of the frame of the attachment.

2. In a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling' device for conn ection with the plowbeam, and also adapted for upward and downward movement and swinging` movement independently of said axle and the frame of the attachment, slotted for the passage of said axle, and consisting of two sections, a coupling-bar between the sections of the coupling device, movably connected to the axle, means for raising and lowering the coupling device, and independent means for swinging' the same.

3. In a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling device for. the plow-beam, and also adapted for upward and downward movement and swinging'movement independently of said axle and the frame of the attachment, slotted forv the passage of said axle,`a segment suitably connected with the axle, a hand-lever, means operated by the hand-lever for swinging said coupling device to cause the beam to rock about a longitudinal axis, and a suitably- IOO IIO

coupling' device YFor the beam, slotted Vtor the passage of the axle, a sc fment connected with said axle. and slotted, a rod connected with the coupling device and extending' through the slot in the segment, a lever loosely connected with said segment and having a slot to receive said rod, dctent means carried bythe lever, cooperative with the segment, a second level' connected with the coupling-box, and detent means cooperative with the second lever.

Ain a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, arched between its ends and having lateral adjustable wheels at its outer portions, to torni single or double row gages Vtor the carriage, a yoke-shaped Vtrame connected with the arched portion ot the axle` a coupling device for the plow-beam, slotted for the passage of said axle, a segment upon said trame. having a slot, a rod connected with the couplii'ig device and extendingl through said slot, a rack connected with the coupling' device, a handlever pivotally connected with said coupling' device and adapted to cooperate with the teeth of said 'ack-bar, a chain depending' from the segment and connected with the lever, and a lever loosely connected with the segn'ient, havingl a slot to receive said rod and a pin, the segment having' pert'orations to receive said pin substantially as and l'or the purposes specitied.

6. ,In a. plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling' device `for connection with the plowbeam, slotted for the passage ot' the axle and consistil'ie' of two sections, a coupling-bar between the sections ol" the couplii'ig' device and movably connected with the axle, a suitablymounted segment, a hand -lever associated with said segment, a rod united with the coupling' device and arranged vfor operation by said hand-lever, thereby to rock the coupling' device and to cause a rocking' motion ot' the beam about its longitudinal axis, and a. iiexibly-n'iounted lever connected with the coupline' device 't'or raising' and lowering' the same.

T. In a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling' device Ator connection with the plowbeam, slotted t'or the passage ol said axle and ver associated with said segment, and means arranged for operation by thehaml-lever and tor swinging' the couping device to cause a rocking' motion ot' the beam about its longitudinal axis.

8. In a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling' device tor connection with the plowbeam, slotted tor the passage of said axleand consisting; ot two sections, a coupling-bar between the sections of the coupling' device, movably connected to the axle, a suitablymountcd segment, a hand -lever associated with said segment, a rod connected with the coupling device and arranged tor action by said hand-lever to swing' the coupling' device and cause a rocking' movementof the beam about its longitudinal axis, and independent means tor raising' and lowering' the coupling' device. y 9. In a plow attachment, a wheeled axle, a coupling' device tor connection with the plowbeam, slotted Jfor the passag'eoiI said axle and consisting' ot two sections, a coupling-bar between thc sections of the coupling' device, movably connected to the axle, a suitablymounted segment, a handlever associated with said segment, a rod connected with the coupling' device and arranged Vtor action by said bami-lever to swing' the coupling' device and cause a rocking' movement ot' the beam about its longitudinal axis, a lever, a tlexiblytulcrumed member `lor said lever, the latter being' connected with the coupling-bar for raisinu' and lowering' the same., and means tor holding' the `second lever in its adjusted positions.

ln testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence ot two slilbscribing witnesscs.

F LEICH ICR SM ITH JOE VANI@ SMITH.

W'Titnesses:

Cuantas L. Summum, (i none n M. Sinaai-rs. 

